THE CRAFT MARKET AND THE BEACH ~ NEGRIL, JAMAICA

          JAMAICA AT IT'S FINEST ~ ~ ~ COLORS ABOUND ~ ~ ~ YAH MON

We walked and walked and walked some more during the days spent in Jamaica. Taxi's were available, but whizzing past everything, in a taxi, has you missing out on the details of the city and the culture.
One day we did taxi to the only fast food restaurant in town, Burger King. Not to eat, but as the landmark to our way to the Craft Market and onto the beach.
The Negril Craft Market is a feast for an artist's eye. Colors of the rainbow everywhere! Yes, there were the usual type souvenirs, T-shirts and knick-a-knacks. A closer look has a person drooling over the paintings. The artist proud and accepting compliments. The carvings, being made as you watch, with a small chisel and hammer, by another artist, willing to have his picture taken.
Bags, rugs, wraps and blankets, handmade by the locals catch your eye and the colors jump out screaming, "Take me home!"

           WE WALKED THE BEACH TO THE RESTAURANT BAR ~ ~ 23/7

Called 23/7 --- they close one hour to clean. We found this place last year and after talking to some people, found out this is a place you can go to sit and relax, without the pressure of continually buying drinks.
After walking the entire beach looking for the place we needed a drink! We alos bought oranges, from the man with the basket of oranges that walks the beach. They were very sweet and refreshing.
We just happened to pick the day that an International Volleyball Tournament
was taking place. We talked to a few of the guys playing and found out two of them were from California. Being from the states we cheered for them. They were really good and won against the Cayman Island guys. When they played the Jamaicans everyone's true colors popped and the Jamaicans won by a landslide! Still fun to watch and relax, talking to others relaxing also.

The last hurricane dropped many trees.  Some continued to grow.  This one on the beach made for a beautiful picture.
Below~~~one of the cute cottages across the road from the beach.

RASTAS

WHAT IS A RASTA?

Rastas are people that accept the existence of a single god, called Jah, who has incarnated on earth several times, including in the form of Jesus.
Rastas are not only black people, although it does have roots in black empowerment and  back to Africa movements. Many Rastas welcome a multi-ethnic Rastafari movement.

Ganja is a strain of marijuana viewed by Rastas as a spiritual purifier, and it is smoked to cleanse the body and open the mind. Smoking ganja is common but not required.
Many Rastas limit their diets to what they consider pure food. Most are vegetarians, although some eat certain kinds of fish. (Bet not a Wisconsin Friday Fish Fry!)
Musician Bob Marley is the most well known Rasta, and many of his songs have Rastafari themes. Reggae music, for which Bob Marley is famous for playing, originated among blacks in Jamaica, and thus is unsurprisingly deeply interwoven with Rastafari culture.

We came in contact with many Rastas in Jamaica, and many people that consider themselves Rasta, in their heart. When asking a Rasta what makes them so, the answer usually comes with the words PEACE, LOVE, UNITY. Some also explained to us that they ate fruits, vegetables, and some fish.

          SOME RASTAS WE MET IN JAMAICA

                                                              Stomach, who got us a calm taxi
                                                             driver for the trip back to Montego
                                                              Bay.
Sis and Lars, our Hosts.

                                                                                                    Rasta selling herbs downtown.

Ojah/aka/Bunny**an artist
                                                       
                                                     
Young man we met one day, on one of

                                                       our walks. His hair was neatly wound  
                                                         around his head. Most Rastas have
                                                         dreads started when they are young.
                                                        It is not mandatory to have dreads. This young man's dreads came to his calves when down. His hair was very neatly wrapped around his head. Many times the dreads are put up into a colorful hat like Pooka has on below. These hats are chrocheted and are plentiful at the Craft Market.

Poocka-Rasta, but also believes in being a Cosmic Force.

On the right is Arville and his granddaughter (posing with me.) Arville is a true

Rasta in what he believes and eats. He owns a small bar in the neighborhood.

Winnie, an interior designer, was one of the few women we met while walking. She lives down the road from where we stayed. Winnie has a beautiful garden and she was so kind to take us on a tour of it. Winnie lives with her dog, Babes, who is a great protector.

WHERE WE STAYED IN NEGRIL, JAMAICA

On the West end of Negril you will see the lighthouse, naturally the highest point in Negril. Walking down the road farther west passing the lighthouse, passing the Whoopee bar (which is an outdoor thatched construction, with hammocks to relax in and goats to watch,) we continued to find Hylton Ave.
The road turns to gravel, the walk is easy. It's sunny, the air smells fresh and the scenery is green. We soon find ourselves at the gate of White Bird.
This being the home of Sis Hylton and Lars Anderson. The rental home they built next to their home is where we will be staying while in Jamaica.
       The lively colors on the house are Rasta colors. Yellow-Red-Green

                          Our Host and Hostess~~Sis and Lars

Goats are plentiful in Negril. We met them while walking, whether up the paths in the cliffs or walking into town. Sis has a nanny and a kid in the yard, in back of the house. They graze across the road, in the woods, during the day.

Some goats come in herds, as those coming down the road with their herder. MaryLynne and I stepped off of the road to let them pass.

Sis's yard is abundant with plants, trees (many bearing fruits), flowers and vegetable plants.  Amazingly, many grow as bushes, like the cocoa plant and the poinsetta. Parrots flew in screaming each day. I waited patiently to catch the picture above, he seems to be looking down on me from his perch in the tree.
                                                      
                                                               This sign on the water treatment
                                                             building: THE DROP YOU WASTE
                                                                      IS THE DROP YOU'LL THIRST FOR

Lars and his buddy Sizzler. Sizzler was a constant on our porch at night, watching, working, keeping tabs on everything that moved in the yard and on the road outside the gate.

Walking down the lane to catch a taxi into town (Sis and Lars) was an adventure in itself. We would undoubtedly meet other people. Some also going to the corner to wait for a taxi, some children going to school; one woman carrying a large pan of pumpkin pudding to sell at her friend's store.

Many men on bikes, some on motorscooters, others just walking, walking, walking, to where--maybe nowhere.

The house we stayed in while in Negril, Jamaica. Interested in information on renting this home in Jamaica? Email me: nancramer@hotmail.com